Narendra Modi launches scathing attack against Congress, says he prays the political outfit will cross 40 seats in Lok Sabha polls

In his final address in the Upper House of the Parliament ahead of the national polls and referring to CM Mamata Banerjee's recent comments, Modi said: "West Bengal has challenged you (Congress) that you cannot cross 40 seats. I pray to god that you can save 40 seats."

"I'm assured that this party is outdated in terms of thinking, and therefore they have outsourced their work," Modi said in his Motion of Thanks in the Rajya Sabha.

Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party is eyeing to return to power for the third straight term this year.

Beating the Congress-led UPA government that ruled India for a decade, the Bharatiya Janata Party, under the leadership of Modi, scripted a landslide victory in 2014.

It returned to power for the second term after recording another landmark victory in 2019.

Attacking Congress and former PM Jawaharlal Nehru, Modi said he was against favouring any kind of reservation in jobs.

"Nehru ji used to say that if SC ST OBC get reservation in jobs, government work standards will fall," he was quoted as saying in the Upper House.

He said his government's third term is not far away and it will focus on establishing 'viksit Bharat'.

PM promises to make medical treatment more affordable

In his high-octane speech, Modi promised to make medical treatment much more affordable in the next five years and said that every poor will have piped water connection.

"In the next five years, it will be ensured that no poor household is deprived of pakka House. In the next five years, the electricity bill will be zero through solar power. There will be nil electricity bill for crores of citizens and if properly planned then they will also be able to earn by selling excess power (from rooftop solar). This is the vision for the next five years," he said.

He further said in the next five years the government will push hard for covering entire country with piped gas network.

"In the next five years, the world will see the capability of our youth. Our start-ups, unicorns will grow by lakhs. Not only this, tier-II and tier-III cities will see the emergence of new start-ups. They will have a new identity, thanks to the start-ups," Modi said.